NYSERDA awards $200,000 to Solid Cell in Gates

Solid Cell Inc., a designer of fuel-cell technology in Gates, has been awarded $200,000 by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to commercialize its work, officials announced Monday.

Solid Cell will match the NYSERDA funding with $200,000 of its own, with help from RocCera LLC, a Rochester-based manufacturer of advanced ceramic components, officials said. It also will be helped by the NanoMaterials Innovation Center in Alfred, Allegany County.

The company will use its funding to mass-produce its interconnect fuel-cell part using a patented ceramic material, officials said.

Solid Cell began developing its solid-oxide fuel-cell design in 2006. It can be used for cell phone towers, communication devices and water pumps, officials said.

The company has received four awards from NYSERDA. The first was for $250,000 in 2010 to help it establish its manufacturing space at the Rochester Technology Park.

Solid Cell received $200,000 in 2011 to perfect its interconnect membrane and $61,000 in 2012 for business development.

“NYSERDA has been a supporter of Solid Cell from the beginning, and we are pleased that our partnership continues,” CEO Arkady Malakhov said in a statement.

“With NYSERDA’s support, Solid Cell continues to develop our technology, which we believe will lower the cost of fuel-cell manufacture and help to increase the use of these energy-saving devices.”